Former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad calls for a unified ASEAN defense and security policy to strengthen the bloc's ability to counter global powers like the United States and China. He argues that differing national policies among ASEAN members have weakened the organization's collective voice and negotiating power.
In an interview with FMT, Mahathir emphasized the benefits of unity, stating, 'As ASEAN, we are stronger because we represent 10—now 11—countries with 600 million people. Our words carry much more weight.' However, he noted that when each country acts independently, it becomes more vulnerable.
Mahathir highlighted the 'pro-America' stance of Singapore and the Philippines as examples of member states aligning with superpowers, which he believes has undermined ASEAN's unity. He said, 'Our policy is no longer united, and that has weakened us. When we negotiate with the US, we do so as individual countries rather than as ASEAN, often resulting in concessions to their demands.'
Mahathir suggested adopting a defense framework similar to NATO, suggesting that greater security cooperation would enable the region to respond more effectively to territorial disputes and geopolitical challenges. He stated, 'If we are together, we can have a strong policy to deal with both Chinese and American incursions.'
The former leader cited China's unequal treatment of individual ASEAN nations in the South China Sea disputes as evidence of the weakness of individual states. He noted that Malaysia's claim over Pulau Layang-Layang was not directly challenged, while the Philippines faced encroachment at Commodore Reef, demonstrating the importance of collective action.
These comments come amidst rising tensions in the South China Sea, where overlapping territorial claims have led to confrontations involving Chinese vessels and multiple ASEAN member states. Analysts argue that ASEAN's progress in regional stability since its founding in 1967 has been hindered by the absence of a unified security policy, limiting its global influence in geopolitics.
ASEAN's current security approach, based on the ASEAN political-security community, focuses on peaceful dispute resolution and non-interference in member states' internal affairs. Malaysia recently hosted the annual ASEAN defense ministers' meeting, where plans for maritime exercises with the US, China, India, and South Korea were discussed.
